The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-07-21
Whisky Lying !!
Gov. MARTIN, OF KANSAS, PAYS HIS
RESPECTS To IT!

Ever since the trade IN lntOXlcaIlng
liquors was prohibited by law in Kan
sas, the agents Of the liquor traffic, all
over the country have been laborlng
to prove that it was the ruination of
Kansas. Ohio papers run in the in
terest of the doggery business have
become frantic over the manner in
which Kansas was destroying its own
prospects by trying to keep its citizens
sober and it's jails empty. This line
Of argument reached it's brightest
point few days ago in a dispatch
sent out by the Associated Press, from
St. Louis, Mo-, stating that Atchison,
Kansas had been compelled to shut off
the electric light, the water supply,
and various other necessities, because
Of the loss of the liquor revenue.
Every intelligent man knew this was
miserable lie as soon as he read it.
Gov. Martin, Of Kansas has replied to
it, and we quote from his letter:
"The dispatch referred to was
prompted by two motives. 1t was
first sent from town in Missouri for
the porpose of injuring a rival city in
Kansas. and. second, it was inspired
by the whisky interest, and intended
to create the impression that an effi-
cient city government could not be
maintained without the revenue de-
rived from liquor licenses. The city
of Atchison has been, for many years,
one Of the most important railroad
and commercial centers Of Kansas. 1t
has population of about twenty-three
thousand people. If the whisky in
terest could create the impression that
Atchison had been materially injured
because the saloons had been driven
out of it, a serious blow would be
dealt the temperance cause. The AS
sosiated Press, in giving this false
special such wide publicity, was made
the unconscious agent of a malicious
slanderer, whose purposes were as un-
worthy as his statements unfounded.
| deem it my duty to correct the false
impressions thus created, and respect
fully ask that this letter be given as
wide a publication as the dispatch
which prompts it.
II am thoroughly familiar with the
condition Of the city Of Atchison, and
personally know that the statements
embodied in the St. Joseph dispatch
are false and misleading. The gas,
electric lights and water supply of the
city have never been turned off. It's
fire department has been and contin-
ually is on duty. Its police force has
been largely reduced, but has, in the
absedce of the saloons, been ample to
preserve the peace and protect the
property Of its citizens. A local dis
pute concerning methods Of taxation
and involving the adoption of tax
which has been collected in the city
of st. Joseph for many years past, is
the anly foundation for the malicious
and untruthful dispatch from that
place.
"Atchison abolished the last of its
saloons in the fall of 1886. The whis-
ky interests prophesied that this ac-
ton would seriously injure the busi-
ness of the city 1t has had no such
effect. Atchison is more prosperous
to-day than it has been for many years
past. It's wholesale trade aggregated
over forty million dollars in 1886, and
during the first six months Of 1887
this trade has increased fully thirty
three per cent, over that for the cor
responding six months Of 1886. All
the principal streets of the city are
now being paved.
More substantial Improvements
are being made and more buildings
are being erected in Atchison this
year than during any previous years
in its history. Ten important lines
of railway centers in the city, and the
Southern Kansas Railway has just ex-
tended its line to Atchison. The cen
tral shops Of the Missouri Pacific road
have recently been located there; the
largest lumber yard Of the West has
recently been established there, and
many other important commercial and
manufacturing industries has been To-
Gated there during the past six months
Better than all, too, hundreds of thous'
ands Of dollars that were formerly
wasted in the saloons are now expend
ed in feeding and clothing and hous
ing the people, and as result thous
| ands Of wives and children in Atchis
! on who were living i'll poverty few
years ago are now prosperous, happy
and contented.
"This st. Joseph dispatch is only ;
fair specimen Of hundreds Of false ant
malicious statements | have seen pub
lished in the newspapers Of the coun
try during the past three or four year
concerning Kansas and Kansas towns
The whisky interests predicted tina
the abolition of saloons in Kansa
would iniuriously affect the materia